Apostles of Doom

Stevos shrugged. “Apparently there is a saying that Nysegard makes strange bedfellows.” He chuckled, looking to Teragdor. “For example, I recently learned that on Nysegard, not only are half-orc priests of Tiernon not unheard of, but there actually are pure-blooded orc priests of Tiernon and Torean.”

“Seriously?” Teragdor asked in shock.

Stevos nodded. “Inethya, the Prophetess of Nysegard, tells me that about ten percent of their priests are full-blooded orcs, and another twenty percent have orc blood. The numbers are even larger for Nysegard’s equivalent of the Rod. She says that is also true of Torean’s priests and Rangers.”

Both priests blinked in surprise, they stood there in silence for a few moments.

“So is there a plan to rescue him?” Teragdor finally asked.

“There is; or at least a plan to make contact,” Stevos said.

Rasmeth’s eyes narrowed. “And since you are telling us this, I assume we are involved?”

Stevos chuckled. “Indeed. Sentir Fallon is not thrilled with sending more avatars into Nysegard. He and the others would prefer to use mortal intervention.”

“Except that you have reservations about using the normal Church and Rod channels,” Teragdor said.

“Exactly!” Stevos nodded with a wry grin. “We want to use Fort Murgatroid and resources that we will screen and move here to contact our Nysegard people — both those of Tiernon and those of Torean. We think the Rangers of Nysegard might be quite useful in discreet contact on Nysegard.”

Rasmeth nodded. “That would make sense.” His eyes suddenly shifted behind Stevos; Timbly had entered the chapel and was coming to join them.

Timbly, a bushy-bearded bear of a man, or rather saint, in leathers, came up and gave Stevos a slap on the back. “Filling them in on the fun?”

“Indeed, I have been,” Stevos said.

“Should we break up for our individual briefings?” Timbly asked. “We need to fill you in on the local resources in Nysegard.”

Stevos nodded. “Yes. Teragdor, you and I need to speak, as do Timbly and Rasmeth.” The two priests both nodded. “Let’s head to your offices.”

It was weird to have an office; Teragdor was still marveling at it. While it was not much of an office by cathedral standards, it was far more than he’d ever had before. For one thing, for the majority of his career he had slept in sleeping bags and, if lucky, in a tent. Now, as of this morning, he had a permanent home at Fort Murgatroid!

He had a small bedroom on the second floor of the back half of the chapel, and on the ground floor he had an actual office with a desk and two chairs for visitors. Rasmeth also had his own room and his own identical office. As a high chaplain, he was sure that the accommodations were far below Rasmeth’s standards, but for Teragdor it was a huge honor.

They entered Teragdor’s office and Teragdor gestured for Stevos to take the armchair behind the desk.

Stevos shook his head with a grin and sat down in one of the armless visitor chairs. “This is your office, Teragdor. Have you even had a chance to sit in your chair?”

Teragdor grinned, moving around to take his chair. “For but a few moments this morning. This a big upgrade for me.”

Stevos smiled. “And that is part of what I wanted to talk about. You are now a chaplain, because you have a chapel, or at least a shared one. Unfortunately, because we are working outside of the normal church channels — and even if we were, we essentially never dictate church roles and positions — this chapel and your chaplaincy are more facts on the ground than facts in some book in a cathedral.”

Teragdor nodded. “I understand completely.”

“That being said, this is officially yours and Rasmeth’s property, and you have Tierhallon’s full support.” Stevos chuckled. “Given that it was built by Tierhallon, we can give it to whoever we want.”

Teragdor also laughed and nodded.

“As we locate and assign more people we can trust, we will station them here, and as such they will be nominally in your domain. However, given that we are now asking you to establish relations with Nysegard and be our point person on this, it was decided that we needed to give you a promotion to ensure you have the resources you need,” Stevos said.

Teragdor shook his head in confusion. “I thought we just agreed that you have no authority to promote me within the church?”

Stevos gave him a deep nod of agreement. “Correct. However, we can promote you in Tierhallic rank.”

Teragdor shook his head. “What does that mean?”

Stevos smiled broadly. “Baysir, Moradel, Sentir Fallon and Beragamos have agreed that you should be anointed as an Apostle of Tiernon!”

Teragdor blinked in shock, feeling the color drain from his face. An Apostle of Tiernon? Teragdor? Had there been one in the last thousand years? They were extremely rare, unheard of except in legend. That would explain Stevos saying they were once more in a “Time of Legends.”

“I — ah — I have no idea what to say… This is such an amazing honor. I never could — I can’t even comprehend it,” Teragdor stammered out.